Episode 2 of 24/7: There's a lobster in your jacket

By
Katie Carrera

Buzz awaiting for the second episode of HBO's "24/7" escalated even more after the Capitals snapped their losing streak with a 3-2 win in Ottawa this past Sunday. People wanted to know what was said in the locker room in between the first and second period, what helped the Capitals turn around.

Well, if you saw the second episode last night (spoiler alert) you know that you were treated to not one but two in-game speeches. One by Coach Bruce Boudreau in the middle of the Ottawa contest as he told the Capitals to snap out of their slump.

"This is really an important period for this year," Boudreau said. "You've got to say 'It's [censored] over.' If you don't say it's [censored] over, then something bad can really [censored] happen. I don't think we want the bad things to happen. So let's get out of our [censored] funk and [censored] go and do it right now."

The other was from veteran right wing Mike Knuble, who may have stolen the show if not for the celebration to of all things a song by DJ Pauly D, in between periods against the Boston Bruins.

"Today, it's 3-0 and it will not [censored] be one of these laughers again," Knuble said. "It will not [censored] turn intoo a 5-0, 7-0 [censored] laugher. Where they're [censored] giggling getting out of their [censored] mess here. We are [censored] down 3-0 and we are going to come back and we're gonna [censored] win this thing. We're not [censored] going in the thank. That is enough right there. That's [censored] more than a year's worth. It's not going to happen again."

Viewers also got an inside look at Alex Ovechkin, who has been bothered by hamstring tightness, at home with his parents, some Capitals' pranks at dinner in Boston and insight from General Manager George McPhee on the slump the team weathered in December. Also, words do not do the image of Matt Hendricks' bruised and bloodied face justice. After the jump, vote for your favorite part of the episode.

nice speech by Mike Knuble, i think we could use a SC winning good player on the team.. and also my 4th line tonight would be 26-39-17... "LETS GO CAPS"!!!! im staring at the clock all jacked up for tonights game. see you all in a bit @VC.

Why are so many people giving Ovechkin grief for the video that came out?

Ovechkin was asked to do it because so many, including me, wanted to see Ovechkin away from the rink.

The video showed that Ovechkin is very very close with his family. He was doing boring things like swimming and going to McDonald's. The quote that stuck with me the most was "The NHL has changed everything." Ovechkin is honored to be playing in the NHL, and if you walked away from the video thinking he doesn't want to win a Stanley Cup, you weren't paying attention. The Stanley Cup is a goal talked about by his mother as well.

The video wasn't an ego thing and the GR8 was chosen by the makers of the video. BTW the video was taken mostly right after the Capitals were eliminated and showed him at the NHL Awards show. It didn't go that deep into his summer or get into his workout schedule.

I watched HBO's episode last night and I was amazed at some of the things I saw. The list is a little lengthy and I truly look forward to reading the debate that will surely follow:

-Arguments can be made about how BB treat's current and former Caps players (especially Michael Nylander!!) but the scene where he told Matt Hendricks that he didn't have to fight every night was appalling. Mostly it was appaling because DJK was 5 feet away from him when he said it. The he went on to say how he wouldn't earn his money doing that. What a prick! If not Hendricks than who? Steckel?? Put DJK in the game or move him. That comment compared to Dean Evason's rant in episode one shows they are not in sync. BB has never liked fighting in the game. The current Pens are built like the 06/7 Ducks for a reason-to win it all!

-GMGM shows his true arrogant colors saying that other opinions don't matter, only if they come from people in hockey. Heres my opinion, take you and your scarf and leave town. The Caps will not get it done with these two clowns at the helm.

-On the other hand, I was completely impressed how the Pens staff was professional and held players accountable-during practice and by rating thier performance after games. And..ready for this.. they actually reward their tough style of play by recognizing (not crapping on!!) thier tough guys and grinders after games and in thier rating system.

-I was not a fan of Ovie for Captain. Your best player does not make the best leader and that has never been more clear than now. Given BB's propensity to favor players (52, 8, 28, 19) and "not embarass" them, I can't see how decision will ever be reversed.

-Ted Leonsis said he leaves the daily decisions to the hockey professionals. After watching last nights episode, I hope he has realized that he does not have the right management team in place to produce a cup winning team. GMGM thinks he is GM of Detroit and BB detests the style of play it takes to win. Another comment that is getting old from BB is "coaching is a lot like parenting". Maybe you should try to be thier coach and not thier friend. Then they might start to listen.

-The last thing I will say is that BB talks (rants) alot and really says nothing. Watch it closely, he just blows wind and holds no one accountable or points out specific things to counter the other team. Maybe, just maybe, that is due to HBO editing but I seriously doubt it.

BB does need to work on broadening his vocab, but they did come back from a 2 goal deficit in the first 2 minutes of the next period...something got those guys going.

I thought the Hendricks talk was great...He was feeling too much pressure to fight constantly and BB basically told him that it's not his responsibility every time something bad is happening to do that. He offers other things to the team. That was one of my fav. parts. BB was just reassuring the guy.

I agree Bylsma comes off more put together, but his team is playing great right now, and I bet if they had filmed him at the beginning of the season when things were not so peachy he was not nearly as calm and collected.

I agree with GMGM on what he said about not listening to all these people during a slump (or a win streak) Their job is entertainment and they do not have insider info on this team and how it's working. I have said it many times on here to the people who constantly judge and critisize...if you were that knowledgable you would be in the league. That doesn't mean stop posting or critiquing, but I don't think anyone on here could do a better job than GM or BB. And while many may have ideas of what pros could...well again, unless you are in it with these guys day in and day out...you can't knwo for sure what they need.

I really liked that BB was reassuring the guys in video session that while things were not going their way, changing your style of game is tricky and the long term benefits are going to outway the short term frustration. He also flat out said...they were adjusting to more playoff hockey.

Today is a very special day boys and girls! The Charly trolls will be coming to visit to tell us that our team sucks and as fans we know nothing about hockey! Hoefully they will be able to teach us how by being proper fans we can help the team win the Stanley Cup!

Leeguru: What's worse. Even if the Caps win tonight and the Winter Classic they will be labled as lucky. Fans that want to believe will have to listen and read trash about the Capitals until they win the Stanley Cup, I've accepted that.

Yup, if the Caps win tonight, the pentrolls will claim luck and that only the playoffs matter. If the Pens win tonight, the pentrolls wil claim that it proves that the Caps suck and that the Pens are obviously a far superior team.

you know what they don't show you on 24/7 Ovie interacting with fans...its really gotten embarassing and downright unacceptable. I have always been a longtime defender of Ovie, if he blows off fans I say "oh he's so busy, you know how mnay people ask for his autogrpah in a day" normally these defending comments are after practice when the boys are trying to get home, or just go on with their day, and when there are more then 20 or 30 people waiting outside for them. But lately, at least from personal experience Ovie has no excuses to blow fans off the way that he has.

1)sometime last week before practice Ovie drives up to the 8th floor parking (on the roof of Kettler) he sees there are maybe 10 of us standing outside and he proceeds to drive by everyone and go back down to level 7...ok maybe he's running late to practice....

2)one day at practice people are waiting outside in the blowing wind, they've been waiting for over an hour, they finally think it is all worth it when they spot ovie inside at the desk right before the exit to come outside to the rooftop parking. he sees the fans and smiles and gives a wave. kids are getting excited, their parents saying "look it's ovie, now get ready, look he's waving at you" then someone comes out, gets into ovie's car and drives it off down to one of the lower levels of the parking garages...ok well maybe he has immediate plans after practice and has to leave right away. (Ovie's house is on the way to my own house, it's fun driving by it on my way home, being forced to slow down because there is a speedbump right infront of his house, and then just carry on down the road. I left shortly after ovie's car was moved, and on my way home, i noticed his car was infact outside his house...i guess there was something really important to be done at his house to go that far out of his way to avoid fans....

3)after practice waiting again outside to get a christmas gift signed for a friend, everyone sees Ovie's car on the roof so they patiently again wait outside in the cold. I spot Ovie coming out of the front entrance of Kettler his russia hood is up and he walks through the parking lot (i have no interest today in getting Ovie, so I just watch him as everyone else watches the other door waiting for players). Finally someone spots him, he smiles under his hood, when the person says "hey ovie can I please get a quick autograph" he just continues to his car, gets in and then everyone else suddenly realizes he snuck behind them. the moans, and groans and "oh man's" begin. ....well shoot if you wanted him so badly maybe you should've seen him like I did, right...

Leeguru: What's worse. Even if the Caps win tonight and the Winter Classic they will be labled as lucky. Fans that want to believe will have to listen and read trash about the Capitals until they win the Stanley Cup, I've accepted that.

Man, if work lets me out early tonight that will allow more time for tasty beverages....ruh roh watch out Pens fans.

And then the Classic is just days away....oh boy oh boy oh boy. I cant wait to mock those "classy" folk up in that "lovely" city. I love telling them that Primanti Bros sandwiches are overrated and bland. They get so angry about it.

I also agree with tominsocal's prediction. I was going to say 4-1 myself, but 5-2 seems more plausible.

4)yesterday after practice Ovie goes into the Kettler gift shop, and the mob scene commences. The shop is filled to the brim with fans, looking at ovie hoping to get a auto. Green, M. Perreault and MarJo come out the main lobby and fans shift their attention to them for a bit, getting pictures with them, getting autographs. Ovie pushes his way out of the shop, I think he signs for 1 or 2 kids, and the signatures are just big circles, Ovie heads back to the locker room. Well his car is parked on the roof again so I figure hey I'll just go back outside, no biggie. Moments later a guy gets into his car and drives it off to the lower levels again....well i mean there were at least 50 people crammed inside that shop, and now they are all waiting by his car, that's crazy for anyone....

5) 45 mins ago at Kettler. I really want to get this picture signed for a christmas present and all I need is Ovie. maybe today is the day :) me and 4 other people are outside waiting in the strong wind, we've been there since 8:30am. We got Varly, Green, Backie, Poti and Laich. Finally we see Ovie and his car heading our way. We wait patiently for him to park and wait for him to head inside. couple minutes later his car starts up and he takes off (please are you serious, great he's headed down to the lower levels..oh well) but wait, he heads towards the front entrance of kettler, so me and 2 other people head that way. we get there before he gets out of his car, and one person says "please Ovie it's my nieces birthday" ovie replies "no" and continues inside...wow, just wow.

No yes I have met ovie plenty of times, I have gotten plenty of signatures, and autographs and he even gave me a jersey once 3 years ago, but the trend I have seen him go through the past couple of years is really quite sickening. I understand, he's a popular guy, he's the #1 guy for most caps fans out there, everyone wants a piece of ovie, but he can't take the time to sign a quick few autos for less then a handful of people on several different occassions. and the lengths he goes to to 1) make his prescence known, and then 2)just avoid fans...is just embarrassing. Even when the HBO cameras were rolling at the rink last week and a group of kids were at kettler for a field trip, he came over the gate right after players get off the ice and signed because the cmaeras were pointed right at all the kids screaming his name. He signed a bunch of big O's (pretty much just a circle) and some scribbles, nothing even close to his signature. It's just sad, I've seen some kids cry because they waited outside for hours for him and he comes outside and just blows by everyone, even the kids!

I'm sure I am not the only one with some of these Ovie experiences. let me repeat yes I have some great, feel good Ovie interactions with fans moments, but the majority of those are all at least 2 or 3 years ago...now-a-days, simply put he's a real jerk when it comes to fans....Ovie i still love you, but come on

I dunno...maybe he is a jerk? All I see though is that he and most Caps are a lot more tolerant of fans than other athletes. I have seen him sign autographs for 10 minutes right after getting off the ice after a grueling practice. I have read NUMEROUS articles about him being super nice to kids.

I also have a brother who worked for the Make A Wish Foundation who has told me horror stories of some athletes blowing off kids with cancer (Tiger Woods!), but he said Ovie really goes above and beyond what they ask and has made each kids visit with him special.

As for waiting outside the car...I realize people think I excuse everything the Caps do, but I would not want to sign autographs there. I mean I have seen fans not let him get to his car, and then when he is in the car it is a hassel to get out...what if he accidentally hit a kid...I know you will think thats a reall bad excuse, but just something to consider.

I used to dream about marrying ovie :) but now I just accept that he is who he is and while I would never date a guy like that, he is fun to watch and is the leader (ability wie) of my favorite team...like him or hate him, but I just accept who he is and hope he has a long and prosperous career...without getting himself killed in his sports cars or in a drunken stupor at some rave. :)

It appears as though capscoach put some time into his response regarding my opinion of how the second episode of HBO made the Caps coaching staff and management look bush league. You also managed to jab other posters on how they are negative towards the Caps. That is not the case here. I am a STH and have been for a few years. The Caps have been loaded in talent for years but they lack identity and burning desire (read-GRIT)to win it all. For all of you stats wienies out there, compare the 06/7 Ducks third and fourth lines to our current lines. No comparison. This team is built for speed and scoring, not grit, grind, and defense. Ask any knowledgable hockey fan, scoring puts butt's in the seats but solid team defense puts rings on your fingers.

One more thing. I have been around hockey my whole life and had the pleasure of being associated with coaches from all sports at all levels and one thing rings true. At the professional level, it is more about managing personalities than it is about managing talent. BB clearly has favorites on this team and that does not bode well for a cohesive locker room.

"Half of the people are trying to sell his autographs..so I dont blame him for moving along sometimes..."

I agree. I have no idea what he does on a day to day basis. In general, he should be respectful to the fans, sign some autographs, etc. But he doesn't owe signing autographs to anyone.

Some days he might just want to go home. Maybe he has a date, maybe his mom is making dinner, maybe he just wants to go to bed. I know that some days after work that I am in no mood to really talk to anyone and all I want to do is go home, get something to eat and relax.

ok i guess people are just going to assume Im trying to say he is a guy that owes me everything in the world...haha well sorry if you read it that way. i love ovie to death he has taken at least 15 pictures with me on separate occassions. but this is just somethings i have noticed lately. he has gone out of his way to avoid 3, 4, 5 fans at most, no one is chasing him, screaming at him, no one pushes it. they just are dissappointed, and for a guy making 9mil a year, just thought stoping for a kid here or there waiting outside wouldn't be too much to ask. and with all due respect, he does kind of owe us something, without the fans he wouldn't have anyone to play for, no one would care when he scored, no one would care when he wins... to go to such lengths to avoid fans...it's embarassing, especially when other caps, reluctant as they might be, stop and sign a quick few autographs. it's really not asking much. like i said, it's just what i have noticed, you take it as you will.

I think you just came off more negative than you wanted to (I think) You are saying you have all these great experiences with him, but he is also a jerk now...gotta remember that he is having a pretty tough season.

I also can't hate the guy when my brother has told me all these great stories of him with the Make A Wish kids...he really made their day special.

I also agree with tominsocal's prediction. I was going to say 4-1 myself, but 5-2 seems more plausible.
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I don't understand why you would think this way. At the moment, the two teams don't appear to be at the same level. The Pens have an impressive road record (11 wins 5 losses), their stars are piling up points whereas ours can't buy a goal. Each game is unique and maybe our stars will turn it around tonight (unlikely from what I've seen) but I think the Caps will be doing well to get any points at all from this game.

Anybody that goes to that length to seek out autographs of another human being is ... well... kind of strange in my opinion.

I think you are infringing on his private space. Sure he makes more money than the President of the United States, but so do a lot of other people. Just because you think he should accommodate you and give you his signature, doesn't mean he has to - or just because you want to look good on a Christmas gift you are choosing to give to someone and you want his signature to make yourself look better.
Leave the kid alone for goodness sakes.
He doesn't owe you or me squat.

I cant explain it, it's just what the tea leaves say when I read them. And they dont let me down too often.

Granted the teams are playing different, but Caps v Pens games are always crazy no matter what. Just like in football, Dolphins v Pats, Cowboys v Redskins, Steelers v Ravens, etc...games against heated rivals are just not normal. And this time I just feel a solid Caps victory.

he didn't go begging to management to be the captain and then let everyone down.

CLEARLY.....he is not captain material...and there is no way on earth this team should enter next season with him as the captain.

Not everyone has the make-up for being a captain....that isnt an insult...and just because you are the most talented player doesn't mean that you owe it to everyone to change your personality to be a captain.

I just don't understand how anyone can think Ovi doesnt care about winning the cup

This team is built for speed and scoring, not grit, grind, and defense. Ask any knowledgable hockey fan, scoring puts butt's in the seats but solid team defense puts rings on your fingers.

Posted by: SOMDHockeyCoach

Ok...now I get that STH is season ticket holder.

Also...have you noticed that scorring has been a bit of a weak point this season? Our GAA is down and actually pretty good..esp if you thrwo out the couple of really bad blowout games(not that you should)

The team is learning (slowly) to play more disciplined hockey that will be better come playoff time...it makes sense then that the top line is struggling so much this season...it is much harder for a player who has won best player of the year and been tops in scoring for most of his career, to change his game...much easier for the grinders and role players

Famous Male/Hot Male Celeb -
Girl: Oh my...he's so amazing. Mrs. Ovechkin, no no, Mrs. Alexander Ovechkin. Oh yes, it will be, it will happen. (runs off and makes a Ovie shrine, super-imposing her own photo beside him in many of them, mailing love letters to him, etc etc)

*next dayGuy Delivering restraining order from said Male Celeb -
Girl: (while wearing her newly made bedazzled t-shirt that says her name + Ovie forever)Oh he is just playing hard to get.

See the difference? Not a double standard, the scenarios are totally different.

P.S. To further prove my point, every home game I'd wager 85% of the male crowd says "oh, I'd hit that" every time the cute Caps blond announcer girl is on the jumbo tron with another annoying game/trivia question. but 0% are fantasizing about being married to her. =)

I agree SAOTI...we women have to fantasize about decent men who can commit and settle down b/c so few exist! :)

So I will go right on pretending that I actually believe that Ovie will eventually pass the maturity of a 7th grader, commit to a woman, treat her well, and raise some really ugly kids (he is not handsome).

Don't mess with my fantasy and I won't mess with your fantasy of blond girl and how she memorized the kama sutra for your enjoyment. :)

Hmm, you seemed to have missed the point again. The point was when a guy fantasizes about a woman it is based on pleasure and not commitment. A woman's fantasy (in this scenario, because I know many women who see a man and say "oh i'd hit that" as well) is about commitment and their future lives together. The creepy part to me is that a woman can imagine a whole future with someone she doesnt even know. A guys fantasy is from purely from the physical attraction part, they are not thinking about futures and what not.

capsfan387, I think he's probably tired of non-stop autograph hounds everywhere he goes, especially when the team isn't performing well. Maybe he recognizes you and others from being there every practice trying to get his autograph and figures he's already put in his time (and a jersey!). Cut him some slack. There is a line where it stops being fandom and starts being weird.

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